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8
More than twenty doctors living within the borough have under
taken to provide General Medical Services. Several of these have also
undertaken to provide Maternity Medical Services.
Care of the Aged and the Chronic Sick.
The scheme for the care of the aged and the chronic sick is
working fairly well.
The Geriatrician based at Kingston Hospital has the services of
a full-time Health Visitor and is able to visit and assess the needs of
all cases reported as requiring admission to hospital.
Continued shortage of beds in Hospitals and Homes causes delay
in admission during certain months of the year, but a desperate case
is invariably admitted in a very short time. Cases awaiting admission
are supervised by the Geriatric Health Visitor while those who are in
frail health are visited by the general Health Visitors.
A great deal is done to assist the aged by the local voluntary
services through schemes such as "Meals on Wheels", Old Peoples
Clubs, Chiropody, etc. The Barnes Day Club was first opened in
March, 1958 in an attempt to alleviate the pain and loneliness of
severely handicapped men and women living in the borough. It soon
proved to be an outstanding success and in 1960 it was transferred
to its own well equipped premises on a site at Mortlake Green. It
now opens on three days each week and the whole organization is a
remarkable example of the excellent results that can be obtained by
enthusiastic voluntary workers.
Laundry Service.
The Council acts as an Agent for the County Council in providing
this service. It is confined exclusively to patients who are
incontinent, and articles laundered are limited to sheets and draw
sheets.
Although the number of cases served is small, the benefits to
exhausted relatives are enormous. It enables them to nurse at home
in comfort a patient who otherwise would have had to be admitted
to hospital. During the year 1,475 soiled sheets were collected,
laundered and re-issued.
National Assistance Act, 1948, Section 47.
In some cases the old people create their own problems by
refusing to leave their homes when they can only be properly cared
for in a Hospital or a Home. Under these circumstances it becomes
necessary for the Council to apply to the Court for an Order for the
compulsory removal of the patient to a hospital or other suitable
accommodation. During the year 20 cases of old people in need of